The Cause of Speaking Anxiety of Pre-intermediate EFL Learners and Its Effects on Their Oral Performance

Abstract

This study is in the area of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL). It focuses on the factors causing speaking anxiety to pre-intermediate EFL learners, the direct or indirect effects of speaking anxiety on the overall oral performance, in addition to suggesting possible treatments to this problem. The study was conducted at The Higher Language Institute (HLI) and the data obtained through distributing a questionnaire to pre-intermediate students was analyzed analytically. Results show that all kinds of factors are hardly regarded separately. Yet, the linguistic factors are demonstrated to be dominant in learners' oral performance. Finally, certain treatments are presented depending on the data obtained and the most important was to implement an ungraded speaking test to lower speaking anxiety in oral exams. The research concludes with a brief summary, suggestions for further research, and some recommendations for the EEL context.